GNB are images of well known characters that represent each one of the 6 competencies promoted by NPDL. These characters and their images are useful to tell a story, playful and engaging, to explain what the competencies are and its importance in the teaching and learning process. Narratives allow active interaction between teachers and students, with the aim of leveraging these competencies
We developed an online platform where teachers deliver these badges to their students. The platform works as a report card in which teachers can assess the students´ work on the 6Cs and have an overview of all the students of her classroom. Thus, the platform also works as a learning management system. Moreover, in the platform students collect the badges received to have a view of their achievements, the areas in which they are more proficient and those topics they need to improve.
Nevertheless, the badge system provides online as well as offline opportunities. Badges can be used to explain what concepts each of the 6 competencies represent. For example: through the story of Frida Kahlo teachers can focus on what resilience and tenacity is and its importance to forge the personality. Nikola Tesla represents pursuing and expressing novel ideas and solutions, framed into the development of creativity.
Each badge represents a concept connected with the 6Cs and its dimensions.
GNB was launched on april 2020. During this time of pandemic it has been a very useful tool for teachers to continue working despite students being at home. Due to the virtue of the platform that allows delivering badges remotely, teachers and students could continue with activities online. Indeed, this development provided tools for teachers to perform gamified, engaging and motivational tasks for students.
GNB is a system developed by Plan Ceibal (https://www.ceibal.edu.uy/en/institucional), an educational agency from the government of Uruguay. GNB is available for any Uruguayan child, from 6 to 12 years old, completely free, with their personal ID. Teachers are encouraged to use the system, although it is not a mandatory tool. Plan Ceibal promotes its usage all over the country.
GNB can be used online or offline. The online affordance provides the experience of collecting and visualizing badges, in full colour and animation. However, badges can also be used offline. We provide many materials like tutorials, videos, self assessment and peer assessment templates, worksheets, hosted in our web where teachers or students can download and share them. https://bit.ly/3qJeMzp
